Four members of a family were taken to two area hospitals after a fast-moving fire destroyed their home in the Chautauqua County Town of Gerry Saturday morning.
Fire investigators are looking at an overheated pellet stove as the possible cause of the blaze, Gerry Fire Chief Carl Fransen said.
More than 40 calls flooded 911 dispatchers just after 10 a.m. as fire consumed the double-wide mobile home at 4627 Route 60, a main thoroughfare through Gerry, Fransen said.
Two volunteer firefighters arrived at the scene within two minutes of the call, but by that time flames were already shooting through the roof, Fransen said.
"Four people escaped out of the house, but one was burned pretty severely," Fransen said.
The person who suffered the most serious burns was taken by Starflight to Erie County Medical Center, Fransen said.
That victim's condition was unavailable late Saturday. The other three were transported by ambulance to WCA Hospital, where they are in stable condition, Fransen said.
The fire chief did not know the names of the four, but said they were all from the same family.
Their house was a total loss, Fransen said.
Firefighters from the Sinclairville, Ellington, Faulkner, Fluvanna and Ellery Center fire departments also fought the blaze.
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